Spring Clean Up at NVRPA Headquarters

 

Yesterday was the annual clean up day at the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Headquarters. It was a beautiful spring day and everyone was working together to clean out old stuff that was not needed and spruce up the grounds with trimming and mulching and much more. It was a great team effort! And we all shared a great lunch together as well.

Blythe Russian, Superintendent of Operations wrote the following in an e-mail to Headquarters and Central Maintenance staff. She captured the best of the day.

Thanks to everyone who rolled up their sleeves and pitched in yesterday for the most successful Cinco de Mayo Cleanup yet! With a heavy task list, everyone truly performed miracles on the inside and outside of the building! Take a few minutes to see the handy work of your co-workers today. A special thanks to Central Maintenance for their back breaking work on the trees and trash removal- who knew we could have THAT MUCH to throw away!! We could NOT have done it without you!


I hope everyone had as much fun as I did working alongside different people and doing projects outside our normal comfort zone. Here are are few "superlatives" from yesterday that I hope you enjoy:

Best Mulcher- Becky Reynaldo (she was a non-stop machine with those HUGE bags and her scissors!)


Best Box Mover- David Zickafoose tied with Jake Bumbrey and Casey Pittrizzi


Best Thrower Awayer- Kathy Brooks and Edna Scott (we took no prisoners!)


Best Makeover- the closet by the board room- you can walk in, have a picnic, do a dance (I saw you, Edna) and it is even ready for MORE stuff- put away neatly, please!!


Best Coordinator of the Throwing Away- Charlie Anderson


Best Mulch Mover- Chris Pauley (150 bags, to be exact)- it was a close race with Paul Gilbert who also put a big dent in that pile!


Best Griller- Bobby Clark (and the best pulled chicken cooker!) What would we do without you?


Best Awards Room Cleaner- Sue O'Reilly and Todd Hafner (if you haven't taken a look, you will be pleasantly surprised!


Best Attitude- Jenny Hofler (even when her area was threatened by snakes, she powered on!)


Best Enforcer of Personal Protective Equipment- Derric Bolton (he HAD to- its his job!)


Best Chicken- Getters- Susan Chidakel and Linda Butterworth- who knew there could be that funny of a story just getting a bucket of chicken:)


Best Dessert-maker- Heidi Bates (requests for more cherry cheesecake and the hornets nest have been submitted)


Best Shoes- Azeana Roehn (what a beautiful pedicure!)


Best T-shirt- Cindy Hudson (Go Grave Digger!!)


Best Watchers of a Jazzercise Tape(yes, tape)- Kate Rudacille, Dan Iglhaut, and Susan Chidakel

For those of you that didn't get a superlative, you still deserve a big pat on your back for the great work you did yesterday, your positive attitude, and your delicious cooking (or buying of food) skills! Make sure to stretch tonight because tomorrow will be the big day when all of those new muscles you found yesterday will be screaming!

Thank you for bringing the delicious food and for all of your hard work! It is truly appreciated! I think we need to institute a Cinco de Diciembre to continue our hard work on the inside of this building....

Blackburn's Ford

Monday July 18, 2011 join us at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville Virginia for a special event to commemorate the first land battle in Northern Virginia during the Civil War, the Battle of Blackburn's Ford.

More information about the event:
http://www.nvrpa.org/park/main_site/events/view/1597

In addition to the commemoration we will also be dedicating replica winter quarters built at Bull Run Park to demonstrate how both Confederate and Union forces lived in semi-permenent camps in this area at different times during the war. This event is part of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War.



winter quarters cabin

 About Blackburn's Ford:
Several days before the First Battle of Manassas, Union forces under General Irvin McDowell attempted to cross the Bull Run to engage the Confederate Army under the command of General P.G.T. Beauregard. The two forces met and fought at a stream crossing called Blackburn’s Ford in Centerville.


This was the first land battle of the war. But within a few days the forces had met again in the First Battle of Manassas. Soon the Battle of Blackburn’s Ford with its 151 casualties was over-shadowed by larger conflicts in what would become the bloodiest conflict in American history.

Nature Nuts!

Nature Nuts Kick-Off With a Goal of Half a Million Kids Outdoors


On the eve of Earth Day week (April 22nd), The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) and its Foundation formally kicked off its newest program, Nature Nuts, at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park on Friday, April 15th. Over 100 fifth graders from Herndon Elementary School joined NVRPA, the Foundation, Supervisor Pat Herrity and Dominion Virginia Power to kick-off this program, which focuses on engaging children with nature. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Foundation subsidized the trip for Herndon Elementary as part of the Nature Nuts program, and each child received a Nature Nuts t-shirt.

Richard Louv launched a national movement to better engage children with nature through his best-selling book Last Child in the Woods. Nature Nuts is a regional program that seeks to provide a meaningful outdoor experience to half a million children over the next five years throughout Northern Virginia. “A big part of the mission of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority is to ‘foster an understanding of the relationship between people and their environment,’ and the Nature Nuts program is going to be central to our efforts in this area,” remarked Paul Gilbert, NVRPA Executive Director. “Children today are spending less time in nature and far too much time in front of a screen. Our goal is to counter this trend,” continued Gilbert.

By engaging this many children in nature, this program will have a positive effect through education, health benefits and interaction and education of the environment. The Foundation has set up the Nature Nuts fund, which will support activities that further the goals of the program, including:

Grants to help elementary schools defray the costs of field trips to Hemlock Overlook;

Grants to help send kids to camps like the Junior Naturalist Camp at Potomac Overlook or Camp Grow at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens;

Expansion of NVRPA’s Roving Naturalist Program;

Facility improvements at youth camping sites;

Expansion of rental kayak and canoe operations;

Promotional materials and efforts to get children involved in Nature Nuts.

Nature Nuts will offer great programs and opportunities to reconnect children with the outdoors. Supervisor Pat Herrity reminisced that when he was a child they would spend all day riding their bikes and exploring and playing in parks and natural areas. Times have changed, but the need for children to have unstructured time in nature is just as strong today, but with fewer opportunities.

Currently 85,000 children a year explore nature through the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. Through a combination of child-focused programs and family outdoor activities, children are exploring the natural world at the regional parks. This program will build on this base and address barriers that keep children from having these opportunities.



48,000 children camp in NVRPA parks, nearly 3,000 through youth organizations like scouting and 45,000 through family camping.

Close to 10,000 connect with nature while boating in Regional Parks, over 1,200 local high school students row on the Occoquan Reservoir, and over 8,500 use rented kayaks or canoes or are boating with friends and family on boats they launch at a Regional Park.

Over 15,000 children go through the adventure course run by Adventure Links at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park.

Over 13,000 children learn about nature from an NVRPA naturalist or park staff as part of a children-focused nature education program.

Lead Like a General

I just published my first book. It is a leadership book that takes examples from the American Civil War. Most of the examples were also drawn from local history focused in the Northern Virginia Region. Although not explicitly about the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, many of NVRPA's parks figure into these storys.

Combining the best in modern research on leadership with real life examples from the American Civil War, Lead Like a General will help people in any field hone their leadership abilities. Using many engaging and untold stories of a day-in-the-life of a Civil War leader, this book shows how the research on leadership styles, organizational structure, brain dominance and other related fields can be seen in the actions of these historical figures. A must read for those interested in developing their leadership abilities, as well as those looking for new insights into some of the leaders, both north and south, from this pivotal period of history.

Here is what some leaders are saying about this book:

"Paul Gilbert has captured the essence of the best leadership, merging his personal experience with seldom-heard histories of Civil War generals. He offers powerful precepts for those who must lead today."

Donald S. Beyer, Jr. U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Former Lt. Governor of Virginia



"The American Civil War shaped modern America more than any other event since the American revolution. The length and scope of the civil war tested the leadership of Americans from both the North and South. Both sides learned that leadership is an essential foundation to success. Paul Gilbert's new book explains how leadership shaped events in the war and how these lessons apply to life today."

Brig General John W. Douglass USAF (ret) Former Assistant Secretary of the Navy



“Paul Gilbert’s Lead Like a General combines some of the best thinking on leadership with some of the tactics and strategies of the best Generals in the Civil War. So if you’re a history buff, you’ll enjoy the read. If you’re interested in leadership you’ll also enjoy it. And if you’re a bit of both, as am I, you’ll love it! ”

Dr. Steve Gladis Executive Coach, Leadership Development & Motivational Speaker and Professor, and author of 16 books on leadership and communication



“Paul Gilbert is a leader in public lands, and historic preservation and in Lead Like a General the sites of Civil War actions are part of the story. Gilbert does a great job of capturing the drama of this time, the key lessons and the important places that helped make America what it is today.”

Cate Magennis Wyatt President of Journey Through Hallowed Ground



“Paul Gilbert closely examines universal leadership traits, and offers sound advice for what it takes to be a successful leader. He reminds us that effective leaders focus on their natural skills and use them to their best advantage.”

Dennis H. Treacy Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and Chief Sustainability Officer Smithfield Foods, Inc.

For more information on this book, or to order your copy go to Amazon Books:

http://www.amazon.com/Lead-Like-General-Paul-Gilbert/dp/0615434460/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302548540&sr=1-1

News Release on the Book: http://northernvirginiaregionalparkauthority.createsend5.com/t/ViewEmail/y/75E46C160E9650D1

News on Occoquan Park Visioning

Mike Devine Wins Tourism Award

Visit Loudoun the tourism and marking organization for Loudoun County, presented Mike Devine with an award for the great work he has done at Aldie Mill to promote tourism. Mike is the miller at Aldie Mill and offers weekend milling demonstrations and tours from April - October.

Mike's wealth of knowledge about milling, and local history inform and entertain everyone that visits this great 200 year old grist mill along Rt.50 between Gilbert's Corner and Middleburg. Everyone at NVRPA is proud of the great work that Mike does!

Also receiving an award was the Aldie Heritage Association for the work they have done to host Aldie Harvest Festival. This same group is an important partner with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority with our programs and activities at both Mt. Zion Historic Park and Aldie Mill Historic Park.

Algonkian Regional Park was also nominated for the North Face endurance run that they host each year on the trails along the Potomac.

Tourism is one of the great value that great regional parks offer a community. Facilities and events that attract visitor from outside the area results in big tax dollars to help fund local priorities. We are proud to be part of the collection of attractions that make our area a great tourism destination.

2011 Employee Achievment Awards

Today we had our annual All Staff Business Meeting for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
In addition to presentations on every aspect of our operations, the high point of this meeting is recognizing some of the great accomplishments from our staff through the Employee Achievement Awards. Every year staff are asked to think about who should be nominated for an award and submit those nominations. Then we create a cross-functional committee with different employees each year to serve as the committee to review all the nominations and make the selection of the achievements that deserve special recognition. This year we had a great group of award winners.

Below are the 2011 NVRPA Employee Achievement Awardees:

Amporn Ringenbach – Algonkian


Above and Beyond

From going the extra mile in providing home cooked meals for large groups cleaning the pool, to providing planters and flowers at her own expense to make the park beautiful.

Jake Bumbrey – HQ

Customer Service

Jake has shown the highest professionalism in serving the customers in all our parks. His attention to detail and consistent follow-through have helped countless projects reach a good outcome. All those who work with Jake say he has earned their appreciation for being such a solid team player.

John Houser – Occoquan

Community Partnership

From the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial to the Occoquan River Communities, to OWL and much more, John dedicates his time and great partnership skills to building NVRPA’s connections with external groups, in a way that is unprecedented in the history of the agency.

Robert Clark – Catering

Customer Service

Taking responsibility for the Catering Department’s picnic service has not only expanded revenue for the agency, but has provided seamless service to customers using many different parks. In addition to outside customers, park staff have benefited from the complete and self sufficient service that Bobby has provided.

Laurie Short – Meadowlark

Team Player

Through a period of great staffing changes and new initiatives at Meadowlark Gardens, Laurie has led the horticultural staff with calm and confidence that has been a unifying force.

Everett Shepherd – Occoquan

Above and Beyond

With enthusiasm and love for the park, Jack has set the standard of dedication, helping with park events on his own time, and taking on every task, large and small, with a positive attitude, while he looks for the next opportunity to make the park better.

John Woods – Pohick

Safety

Spending five days in the park to clear downed trees that posed a hazard to park patrons and staff is one of many ways Matt continues to put safety first in everything he does. When training other staff in safety sensitive jobs like propane tank operation and use of chain saws, Matt is always methodical in making sure the safety procedures are followed exactly.

Mike Devine – Aldie Mill

Programming

Team Player

Continually doing research about issues related to Aldie Mill, Mike educates and delights the public every weekend during the season with mill tours and demonstrations. He kept the mill and programming to the highest standards during a transition in management. During the construction of replacement milling wheels, Mike met with contractors and oversaw much of the installation of the new wheels.

Chris Stoudt – Temple Hall

Versatility

A favorite of the public for his great farm tours, and a favorite of his co-workers for cheerfully taking on dirty jobs and being there to work even unpopular shifts. Chris brought new energy and enthusiasm to the Corn MAiZE this year, including his lead on the pig races.

Kate Rudacille – HQ

Innovation

When the W&OD Trail was at risk of having a two mile section closed for a year, Kate took the lead in finding and negotiating a detour trail that kept all 45 miles open. This herculean effort included in depth work with county staff, VDOT, Dominion Power, a home owners’ association, as well as negotiations with public and private land owners. What seemed at times impossible, Kate was able to accomplish.



Axel Boy – Fountainhead

Programming

Versatility

As a seasonal ranger, Axel has taken personal initiative to do significant historical research into both the Davis-Lewis Family who owned the area of Fountainhead Park as well as the history of this area during the Civil War. Axel then has used this research to lead interpretive hikes for the public. In addition to the historical interpretation, Axel has led night fishing tournaments, kids fishing derbies, paddle tours and many other programs that have raised the profile of Fountainhead Regional Park.

Dan Iglhaut – HQ

Versatility

Cost Savings

From the widening of the Capital Beltway, Dulles Toll Road, Battlefield Parkway, Claiborne Parkway and Pacific & Atlantic Boulevards to cell transmitters on the W&OD, Dan is a one man show in representing NVRPA’s interest in these projects. Where most comparable agencies would have three or four staff to handle this complicated workload, Dan has the skills and dedication to handle an incredible array of projects, with great professionalism.

Award for the greatest % increse in net revenue went to Cameron Run Regional Park.

Award for the greatest % decrease in carbon footprint went to the Carlyle House Historic Park.

Rewarding success in both applying good business tools to improve the bottom line, as well as rewarding conservation of energy is part of what makes NVRPA such a model organization. We are both one of the most efficient park agencies in the nation, generating 82% of our own operating revenues, and at the same time one of the leaders in environmental protection among park agencies.

Occoquan Re-visioning

The creative juices where pumping when a group of nearly thirty local citizens and community leaders started coming up with great ideas for the future of Occoquan Regional Park. This was the first step in a redevelopment effort that will make Occoquan Regional Park a wonderful destination location in Northern Virginia.

The ideas from this frist meeting are posted on the website for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority at: http://www.nvrpa.org/uploads/Files/Occoquan%20Public%20Planning%20Meeting%20Idea%20List%202-10-11.pdf

The community input meeting was truely a great experience. Everyone was positive and engaged in the task of creating a new vision for the future. The Lorton Patch did a great article about the meeting that can be seen at: http://woodbridge-va.patch.com/articles/occoquan-regional-park-looks-to-a-bright-future

Whatever combination of creative ideas take shape at Occoquan Regional Park, the future has never looked brighter.

2011 Special Park Districts Forum

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority is hosting the 2011 Special Park Districts Forum an annual meeting of independant park organizations from all over North America. Registration for this conference is now available through this link: https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=929774

A Look at the Forum Themes


With registration now available, we wanted to offer you some insight on what you can expect in regards to course content. Essentially, we’ve laid out the Forum in a series of different themes, each meant to try and emulate the major areas of interest of our attendees. Each theme has certain classes that fit, creating a more complete experience for the attendee. Please note that these themes and subsequent class selections are merely suggestions. Attendees can choose to follow any path they choose, including a random class schedule.

The themes for the 2011 Special Park Districts Forum include Nature/Environment, Organizational Issues, Park Management, History and Recreational Opportunities. Here’s a look at the class subjects being offered for each. During the online registration process, we ask that you choose the classes you’d like to take. This list is not binding, and may very well change between now and the actual event. By completing the agenda form, we’ll know what classes most interest you and be able to tailor our offerings accordingly.

Nature/Environment

► Connecting Children with Nature (Roving Naturalist Program & REI)

► Fertilizer/Pesticide Use Policy & Golf Course Certification

► LEED Certified Buildings

► Reducing the Carbon Footprint of your Agency

Organizational Issues

► Multi-Jurisdictional Opportunities and Challenges

► Trends in Public Sector Retirement Plans

► Public/Private Partnerships

► Repositioning Your Agency Towards Tourism

► Connecting your Budget to your Strategic Plan

► Park Agency Liability

► Cultural Partnerships

Park Management


► Watertrail Management

► Aquatic Theming

► Campground Management

► Tours of 5 Regional Parks

History

► Tour Manassas National Battlefield

► Tour Balls Bluff Battlefield

► Tour Mt. Vernon

► Tour Carlyle House

► Leadership Lessons from the Civil War

Recreational Opportunities

► Canoe the Marsh at Pohick Bay

► Temple Hall Corn MAiZE

► Guided Hike of Bull Run/Occoquan Trail

► Guided Hike of Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

► Tour Udvar Hazy- Smithsonian Air & Space Museum

► Golf Outing at Brambleton

If you have any questions, suggestions or remarks, please feel free to email one of our session coordinators Blythe Russian (brussian@nvrpa.org) or Chris Pauley (cpauley@nvrpa.org). If you experience any issues with the registration site, please contact Brian Bauer at bbauer@nvrpa.org

See George Washington Live...Almost

This Saturday, February 12th, from noon until 4:00 p.m. you are invited to Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria (on Fairfax Street, across from City Hall) for an amazing historical re-enactment. Colonel George Washington and his family will be visiting the Carlyles for the day.

The year is 1760, when the real Washington Family spent the day with the real Carlyle family. While we do not have a time machine like Jules Verne or Dr. Who, the re-enactment is the next best thing.

All over the house you will encounter men, women and children all doing what they would have been doing on that day in 1760. Virginia is still a colony of England, slaves and indentured servants are still a big part of society. While some things have changed, others are the same. People still gossip, talk politics, and try to impress their neighbors and friends.

Usually 400-500 people come through the Washington Comes to Carlyle House re-enactment each year. It is a fantastic experience where people young and old can learn and be entertained at the same time. Enjoy all the fun of Old Town Alexandria for the day and make this annual re-enactment a new tradition for you.

 http://www.nvrpa.org/park/carlyle_house_historic_park/

Special Park Districts

The January 2011 issue of Park & Recreation Magazine has an article written by me on how to set up a Special Park District and what are the issues a local park agency might want to consider before seeking to be an independent park agency. http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nrpa/201101/#/26

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority is in a class of park agencies called "Special Park Districts." What makes them "special" is that they are not owned by a state or local government, but are independent. They are much like port or airport authorities. These are special purposes governmental agencies that are authorized by a state government.

In the fall I gave a presentation on this with two others (Tom O'Rourke from Charleston County Park District, and Larry Blackstad from Three Rivers Park District) at the National Recreation and Park Association's annual Congress. Many local agencies were interested in exploring this option, and the article grew out of that presentation.
Park & Recreation Magazine

Park Fees

Today the Washington Post had an article in the Fairfax Local Living section called "Park fees may increase." This was written by Kali Schumitz who writes for the Fairfax County Times. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/25/AR2011012506438.html

This story was about proposed fee increases that the Fairfax County Park Authority is considering for Rec Centers, golf, weddings, and a range of other areas.

The Fairfax County Park Authority is not the only agency with parks in Fairfax County. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority owns and operated numerous large parks in Fairfax County as well as Arlington, and Loudoun Counties and the Cities of Fairfax, Falls Church and Alexandria. There are also State and National parks in Fairfax County, each with a different mission and focus.

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority was established over fifty years ago primarily to preserve large natural areas along the major rivers of our area. As a result, NVRPA today owns over 14 miles of Potomac River front and over 25 miles of river front along the Bull Run and Occoquan Rivers (and Mason Neck). NVRPA is not so much focused on local recreation as it is having destination parks with unique features.

In December of 2010 NVRPA adopted its fee schedule for 2011. Some of the notable features of this fee structure are as follows:

• Golf - Our daily greens fees remain unchanged for the third year in a row. Golf usage is down nationwide, and has been for several years. With a desire to bring more players into the game we looked for creative ways to offer a higher value for many of our customers these include:
• A new Heron Club membership that goes for $195 a year and provides three free rounds of golf along with free range privileges, and daily play discounts. This is an outstanding value designed to build more club loyalty to NVRPA's three great courses (Pohick Bay, Brambleton, & Algonkian).
• A new Round Card that offers 10%, 15%, and 20% discounts for those that buy golf rounds ahead of time in bulk.
• A new program for Twilight Pricing. This offers bargain basement pricing for those that want to tee off 3 hours or less before sunset. This is a great offer for those that want to get in a little golf after work.
• A new Senior Gold Membership that offers the ability for seniors to play unlimited golf 7 days a week.
• The only increase was for the standard Senior Membership that offers five day a week unlimited play. For this membership we increased the price less than 10% based on the statistics of very high rates of play in this category.
• Four of our five Waterparks saw not fee change. The one that did was Great Waves with a modest $.25 - .50 increase to offset some new features offered.
• An all new climbing play feature that will be open this spring at Great Waves at Cameron Run, will be available even when the pool/waterpark is closed. There will be a daily fee of $3.95 -$4.95 for children 2 - 12 to play on this 30 foot feature.
• Miniature Golf rates will be unchanged at most of our mini-golf, but we will be reducing our rate at Algonkian to encourage greater play.
• Kayak & Canoe rentals at Pohick Bay and Fountainhead will go up $1 per hour, or $4 per day. This fee has been flat for years and we have seen a huge spike in demand for these rentals. The increased fee will help us expand our fleet. Pohick Bay will also become the first site in the greater Washington DC region to offer stand on top paddle board rentals this summer. These will rent for the same price as a kayak.




Kayak Rentals at Fountainhead Regional Park


• Camping at Bull Run and Pohick Bay Parks has seen significant increases in popularity over the last several years with improved facilities. The price for a campsite will go up a modest $1 per night.

• Wedding Venues like the Atrium at Meadowlark Gardens, and  the Meeting Center at Alongkian are staying unchanged in their fee structure.

Most of the changes in the fee structure for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority are designed to increase the value that our customers are getting and encourage higher levels of participation. Parks remain one of the best values for people to do a wide range of activities. And the more people use their parks the more they value them.

Stamps commemorate the start of the Civil War

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War the Post office is going to release their first of a series do Civil War stamps in April. The first one out are of the shelling of Fort Sumter which was the first fighting of the war, and of the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) which was the first large battle of the war.

Northern Virginia was a 'front lines' area of the War for most of the four year conflict. Several days before the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run), a lesser known battle took place in and around the stream known as Bull Run. This was the Battle of Blackburn's Ford. Today this site is where Rt. 28 crosses from Fairfax to Prince William County. There is a small parking lot for access to the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail, and a historic marker that tells the story of Blackburn's Ford.

The background of the commemorative sheet that these two stamps will be on shows a photo from 1861 of Union Soldiers in formation near Falls Church, Virginia. It will be interesting to examine this photo closer when it is released. It well could be that this is a photo of Upton Hills. Today Upton Hills is a Regional Park on Wilson Blvd, in Arlington on the Fairfax County/Falls Church boarder. During the Civil War Upton Hills was strategic high ground. In the early days of the War, the Confederates built a fort here that included Quaker guns (wooden logs painted black to look like cannons). The Union Army took over this site and built Fort Ramsay that included real cannons and an observation tower.

The First Battle of Bull Run (also known as the First Battle of Manassas) go the war started in a big way. It is interesting to note that the last shots of the war were fired very near that first big battle.

One day after Lee surrendered at Appomattox, some of Mosby's Rangers went into Fairfax County to attack the Burke Train Station. They found themselves in a retreating fight against Union cavalry. The fast moving fight ended on the banks of Bull Run at Wolf Run Shoal.

Lieut. James G. Wiltshire of Mosby's Rangers later remarked to a friend: "Has it never struck you as being a notable fact that the first big fight of the war occurred on Bull Run and the last shots of the war in Virginia were fired on the banks of that same stream?"

Today Manassas National Battlefield Park protects the site of the First and Second Battles of Bull Run (Manassas). The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority owns the area of Bull Run where both the last shots of the war were fired and where the Battle of Blackburn's Ford was fought. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority also owns Upton Hill in the Falls Church/Arlington area.

Sesquicentennial - Vocabulary word of the day

OK, the vocabulary word for the day is Sesquicentennial

ses·qui·cen·ten·ni·al Adjective /ˌseskwisenˈtenēəl/


1.Of or relating to the one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of a significant event

ses·qui·cen·ten·ni·al Noun /ˌseskwisenˈtenēəl/

sesquicentennials plural

1.A one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary
 
Now that we are in 2011, what was happening around here in 1861?.. The American Civil War. The greatest conflict in American history, and a war that helped shape the United States in many ways.
 
Did you know that before the Civil War people would most commonly say "the United States are," and after the war people started saying and writing "the United States is?" This minor change in the way we used language indicates a big shift from a perception that the U.S. was a collection of autonomous states to the U.S. being one singular nation.
 
The next one to four year will see many events designed around marking the 150th anniversary of this great conflict. For more information on some of these events see the following sites:
 
Virginia Sesquicentennial Site:
http://www.virginiacivilwar.org/

Civil War Trails - Virginia
http://www.civilwartraveler.com/EAST/VA/

Financial Transparency is Important

After the scandals of Enron and WorldCom Congress enacted Sarbanes Oxley, legislation that put a lot more focus on financial accountability for publicly traded corporations.

While Sarbanes Oxley does not directly apply to government agencies, financial accountability is every bit as important. The public should be able to know that publicly funded agencies are using their resources wisely. While it is not required, many agencies post their audited financial statements and budgets on-line so all can see. If you find an agency that does not do this, I would encourage you to ask for this level of transparency.

The idea of financial transparency is that nothing is hidden. If organizations are well run, there is no need to hide financial information.

We recently concluded our Fiscal Year 2010 audit, and our auditors met with both our Audit Committee and Board to report their findings. Once again we received an "unqualified" report, meaning that our books and financial controls were in good shape. In addition to our auditors saying we are running a tight ship, the Government Financial Officers Association has for a number of years awarded us with the "Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting," their highest award for financial reporting.

As great as it is to have such a good audit, a second challenge is to make financial information accessible and understandable to all. Six years ago our budget consisted of spreadsheet which while they were accurate, were not very easy to understand and use. We undertook a several year process of creating a budget that was easy to read, conveyed the strategic priorities of the organization, and could be used as a tool to record and track performance measures. The result of this process was great. Our budget today is a "go to" document for all kinds of organizational issues. If you want to know how many children went to the Carlyle House Historic Park as a part of school groups (1,182), or how many boat launches took place at Pohick Bay Regional Park (6,365), or what the goals and objectives of any park are, the budget is the place to find the information.

As a result of all the work we put into making our budget an understandable and useful document, we have also won the "Distinguished Budget Presentation" award from the Government Financial Officers Association for several years. This is their highest award for budgets. 

If you would like to see either our Audited Financial Statements or Budgets for the last several years they are available at the following link: http://www.nvrpa.org/park/main_site/content/financials

Financial transparency is important for society.

Largest All LED Lightshow in the Universe

The 2.5 mile drive through holiday light show at Bull Run Regional Park has been a mainstay of the Northern Virginia area for 12 years. Five years ago the show became all LED, and since that time we have added new LED light displays every year. This year there is a new element of the show that is animated to music.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest all LED light show in the UNIVERSE!!! A big claim for a big light show. And until we hear from another planets that they have a larger all LED show, we will stick to our claim.

LED lights use only a 10th of the electricity that normal incandescent bulbs use. So in addition to being the largest all LED show on earth, it is also good for the earth.

Around 100,000 people go through the show each year. And this year may be the biggest year ever. With a light snow on the ground the light show is more magical than ever.

This year the show is open until January 9th so it is not too late to pack up the family and take in the great holiday show.

For more information see: http://www.nvrpa.org/park/bull_run_festival_of_lights/content/home

Kayak Rentals Continue to Soar

Kayak Rentals at Fountainhead Regional Park

 For five years in a row kayak rentals have increased dramatically at both Foutainhead Regional Park in Fairfax Station and Pohick Bay in Lorton Virginia. 2010 saw an increase of over 20%.

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has rented Kayaks at Pohick Bay Regional Park for almost 10 years, but it was just over 5 years ago they were introduced at Fountainhead, and just this last year that kayak rentals were introduced at Occoquan Regional Park.

Canoes have always been popular, but this popularity has been flat for many years. Today kayaks out-rent canoes by over two to one. We ramped up the kayak offerings a few years ago, because we saw statistics that kayaks were outselling canoes significantly. We realized if this is a measure of popularity of these boats we need to offer more of them at more locations.

For the 2011 summer season we will introduce the latest addition to paddling sports the stand-on-top board. This is similar to a surf board or sit-on-top kayak that one stands on and paddles with a single paddle with a long shaft. The stand-on-top paddle boards will start at Pohick Bay Regional Park.

I have been asked by a number of friends what kind of kayak they should buy, and while I always have free advice, one of my suggestions is always to rent some different boats and see how you like them. This will give the new kayaker some idea of what they should look for. Some of the great advantages of renting boats when you want them is that your cost is much lower, you do not need to find a place to store the boat when it is not in use, and you do not need all the roof rack attachments that go with transporting a boat. You just show up, get your gear and launch the boat that is already by the water's edge.

With snow on the ground as I write this, I thought it would warm you up to think about next summer and gliding along in the paddle craft of your choice at one of your favorite Regional Parks.

Parks = Tourism = Strong Economy

Tourism is big business and one of the best kinds of economic activity to strengthen an entire community. When people visit a place for leisure or business they stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, and shop in local stores, all while seeing the sights of the area.

In Northern Virginia tourism contributed $7.597 Billion to the local economy in 2008! This is why tourism is Virginia's #2 industry (behind agriculture) and why Northern Virginia is one of the most important engines for tourism in the Commonwealth.



What makes people select an area for travel is mostly affected by what there is to do in that area...what are the attractions? And this is where parks come in. Particularly National, and Regional Parks which make up some of the most important historic sites, and unique features in the Northern Virginia region. The list of sites is extensive but a few examples include:





Carlyle House


• Mt.Vernon, home of George Washington and the biggest tourist magnet in Northern Virginia, while not technically a park, it functions much like one and has set a new standard for engaging the public in history.
• Carlyle House in Alexandria is another fantastic colonial era mansion that saw George Washington as a frequent guest, and was the site where the French and Indian War was planned by General Braddock. This site is owned by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
• Manassas Battlefield, site of two of the most important battle of the Civil War, this is a property of the National Park Service. This and other sites will be the focus of more attention as we remember the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War in 2011.



W&OD Trail

• Balls Bluff Battlefield outside of Leesburg is another of the sites of early conflict during the Civil War. The political fall out of this battle had a lasting effect on the Union Army's command structure. This site is also owned by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
•  Truly unique features like the 45 mile W&OD Trail also attract thousands of people from outside the area to come and ride what many consider the best rails-to-trails trail in the nation. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority developed this attraction during the 1970s and 1980s.

Developing new attractions continues. At Meadowlark Gardens, work is well underway creating a Korean Bell Garden that is unique in North America. This attraction should help attract tourist both nationally and internationally. Studies have found the some international tourist spend up to 10 times as much as domestic tourist.

Another project in development that will be a tourist attraction is the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial at Occoquan Regional Park. This will be the only real memorial to the sacrifices of the women that were imprisoned in 1917-18 for protesting in favor of the right to vote for women. This unique memorial will be an attraction for tourist from around the country.